The Registered Nurse is accountable for validating the qualifications of personnel to whom nursing care is assigned or delegated. Qualifications include the knowledge and skills directly related to the nursing activities to be performed. The Licensed Practical Nurse's participation in validation of competencies is limited to on-the-job assurance that tasks have been performed according to standards of practice established in agency policies and procedures and reporting this information to the Registered Nurse. Before assigning nursing activities to staff, the Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse needs access to information about the Registered Nurse-validated competencies for each individual.
The Registered Nurse is responsible for assuring the delivery of safe patient care by establishing the mechanisms for validation of knowledge, skills, and competency. Before delegating the technical task of medication administration to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP), the Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse are accountable for understanding the laws, rules, standards, and agency policies and procedures applicable to medication administration in their specific practice setting.
The Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse is permitted to delegate ONLY after application of all components of the North Carolina Board of Nursing Decision Tree for Delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel and after careful consideration that delegation is appropriate:
- for this client
- with this acuity level,
- with this individual UAP’s knowledge and experience, and
- now (or in the time period being planned)
These Medication Administration Teaching Modules are provided to assist the Registered Nurse when teaching Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) the technical task of administering a medication and validating UAP competency. The teaching modules are not required education, but provide information regarding routes of administration, forms of medication, and steps required to successfully complete the technical task of medication administration.
Notes
- Included checklists are for Registered Nurse convenience and are NOT to be submitted to the Board.
Use of these modules does not satisfy the education requirements for listing as a Medication Aide in a Long Term Care facility, or the requirements for listing as a Medication Aide in an Assisted Living facility.
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